"Then, let's call it here for today."
Morax exhaled a long breath, his tone calm and composed.
Jiang Yan nodded as well. The test had gone far enough—he now had a much deeper understanding of vector manipulation.
Morax slowly descended from the sky, landing beside Jiang Yan. Together, they returned to where the others were waiting.
"Finished already?" Azhdaha asked.
"Mm. Jiang Yan's new move is… impressive," Morax said, genuine praise coloring his tone.
"If you're gonna praise me, don't hold back," Jiang Yan said with a grin.
"See? That's why you can't praise him too much," Cloud Retainer teased. "Look at him—his little tail's about to wag right off!"
"Alright, that's enough," Morax interrupted with a faint smile. "You've tested what you needed to. Time to get back to work."
He led everyone back to the shoreline.
"Let me see…" Jiang Yan murmured, examining the blueprint Songdust handed him.
"For now, just build enough homes to house the relocated residents," Guizhong said, stepping forward.
"For a capital city, using only wooden structures would look too monotonous—unfit for the dignity of a nation's heart."
She pointed at a section on the blueprint. "Start construction here first. Once the people are moved in, we'll gradually expand the rest."
"That makes sense," Jiang Yan nodded. "Cement will really come in handy for this project."
"Exactly," Guizhong agreed. "Thanks to your invention, the construction time will be cut dramatically."
Morax, standing beside her, added, "The sooner we finish the residential area, the sooner we can begin relocating the people."
"Got it."
Jiang Yan followed the layout on the plan until he found a large open space.
"Wood Release — Pillar House Technique!"
Pressing his palms to the ground, he channeled his elemental power.
Boom!
The earth trembled as countless trees erupted from the soil, growing and twisting at an astonishing rate. Their trunks bent and merged, forming the shapes of houses one after another.
Before long, rows upon rows of homes stood neatly in formation—simple, uniform, and orderly.
Jiang Yan had prioritized speed over ornamentation. These were temporary shelters, but sturdy and easily dismantled.
Should reconstruction ever be needed, he could simply recall the elemental energy within, and the houses would dissolve back into the ground.
And since the energy was a one-time expenditure, retracting it wouldn't weaken the structures in any way.
It was a perfect short-term solution—ideal for housing residents until the permanent capital could be built.
"Alright, this should be enough to accommodate the first wave of migrants," Jiang Yan said, brushing the dust from his hands.
Morax nodded. "Then let's return, shall we?"
"Let's go."
The group exchanged glances and set off together.
Back in the Guili Plains, there was no time to rest. Morax and Jiang Yan immediately summoned the people to the administrative hall to make an announcement.
Before the vast crowd, Morax and Jiang Yan stood side by side.
"It's the Lord of Geo and the Immortal Lord!"
"Wow… no matter the angle, they're both so dazzling…"
"Hey, don't you think the two of them standing together look really… matching?"
"Oh my gods, you thought that too?!"
"You two better watch your tongues! Mind your respect before the Adepti!"
"Yeah! The Lord of Geo and the Immortal Lord aren't for mortals like you to gossip about!"
"Careful—mock the immortals and you might fall into a latrine on your way home tonight!"
The crowd's chatter rippled like waves. Neither Morax nor Jiang Yan stopped them.
This is how it should be, Jiang Yan thought. The liveliness of mortal life.
A realm where people live with warmth, joy, and laughter—that was what made a nation thrive. A people who lived like walking corpses could never sustain a kingdom, nor could such a ruler ever accomplish greatness.
Both Jiang Yan and Morax had always ruled their people with patience, gentleness, and compassion.
And that was why, across all of Liyue, so many mortals longed to live under Morax's domain—
For their god was not only mighty beyond compare, but kind beyond measure.
A god among gods.
A ruler among kings.
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